Lighting system.



BEST AVAlLABLE COPY J. W. JEPSON.

LIGHTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. 1914.

1,236,180. Patented Aug. 7,1917.

QXMMMQ woe who; I VQAM \A') I v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. JEPSON, OF DEPEW, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LIGHTING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1 917.

Application filed February 28, 1914. Serial No. 821,774.

following is a specification;

My invention relates to lighting systems and more particularly to 'lighting systems for electric motive power cars, that is, cars driven by electric motivepower supplied by a feeder such as a third rail or trolley from a power station. My improvements are especially applicable to electric motive power,

cars which in their use are not only at times driven by electric motive power, but which are at other times propelled by other power, as a steam locomotive.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient system in which a storage battery is adapted to supplyenergy to light the car when it is not supplied with energy from the motive power feeders. A

further object of the invention is to provide a system of this sortin which a storage bat- .tery may be properly charged from energy supplied from the motive power mains or feeders. Further objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and which illustrates diagrammatically a system which. embodies my improvements in one form.

' Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a motive power feeder which may be either a third rail or trolley, and 2 represents the lamps or lights of the car which are adapted to be connected between the feeder 1 and ground 3 by .the closing of a double pole switch 4:, the circuit being from the feeder through lamps 2, conductor 5, left hand side of double pole switch 4, conductor 6, magnet coil 7, right-hand side of double pole switch 4 and conductor 8 to ground.

9 represents a storage battery also adapted I to be connected in shunt between the main the art. Connected in shunt across the terminals of the battery 9 is an auxiliary lighting circuit 12 feeding auxiliary lights 13, the connections from the battery to this circuit being through conductor 14, lighting circuit 12, solenoid coil 15, conductor 16, switch 17, righthand side of double pole switch 4 and conductor 8, back to the opposite side of the battery.

The magnet 7 is adapted to operate the switch 17 to open the same when current flows through the coil 7 and the main lights 2. The switch 10 is provided with a fixed contact 18 and movable contact 19 which are adapted to engage oneanother upon the gag'ed by the core 29 of a solenoid'30, the

terminals of which solenoid are connected directly across the battery by means of conductors 31 and 32. 33 represents a stop for the plunger 29. The switch contacts 19 and 21 are electrically connected with the positive terminal of the battery by means of a conductor 34. 2

In operation, with the car operating under electric motive power supplied from the feeder 1, and it being desired that the car be lighted, the switch 4 is closed thereby permitting the lights 2 to be energized by energy supplied from the main 1, as above described. If the battery be not fully charged the charging current will also be supplied thereto from the main 1 through the resistance 11, contacts 18 and 20 to contacts 19 and 21 of the switch 10, through conductor 34 and conductor 14 to the battery line, thence by conductor 8 to the ground 3 which acts as a return main or feeder.

Under these conditions with the lights 2 energized by energy received from the main 1 the magnet 7 will attract the armature of the switch 17 and thus open the auxiliary lighting circuit so that the lights 13 will not be,- connected in circuit and the solenoid ,15

open the switch 10, thereby discontinuing the charging current to the battery 9. If now the energy supplied from the rail 1 Should fail for any reason as by the car being drawn b other power at a place where no supply eeder exists, then the current through the lights 2 and magnet 7 will fail,

permitting the armature switch 17 to drop by ravity and close the switch so as to connect the auxiliary lighting circuit 12 across the battery 9 whereby the car will be lighted from the auxiliary lights 13. This will mean thatenergy will be taken from the battery to light the car and accordingly it will be desirable to connect the battery in shunt between the main 1 and ground again so that it will be ready to receive charging current as soon as the car shall be again in position to make connection with the motive power feeder. This is accomplished as follows:

Upon the closing of the switch 17 which causes the lighting circuit 12 to be energized from the battery the solenoid coil 15 is at'the same time energized, thereby raising its core so as to close the switch 10, and at the same time the catch 25 reengages the catch 26 as soon as the voltage of the battery drops sufliciently under discharge to cause the core 29 of solenoid 30 to drop to permit the catch 26 toswing into engagement with the catch 25.

Although I have described my improvement in great detail and with respect to one particular form thereof it will be understood that I do not desire to'be. limited to the de tails as shown and described, except as furnishing electric energy to the car or cars specifically set out in the appended claims since many changes and modifications may well be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention in it broader aspects.

Having fully and clearly described my improvements, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lighting system for cars adapted to be electrically propelled, having a. feeder for motive power, a series of lamps or lights in the car or cars connected in s unt across said feeder and ground, a storage battery and a resistance in series therewith also connected in shunt across said feeder and ground, whereby the battery may be charged by the feeder, an auxiliary light circuit hav- BEST AVAILABLE COP.

ing auxiliary lights therein connected across furnishing electric energv to the car or cars for motive power, a series of lamps or lights in the car or cars connected in shunt acrosssaid feeder and'iground, a storage battery and a resistance in series therewith also connected in shunt across said feeder and ground whereby the battery may be charged by the feeder, an auxiliary light circuit having auxiliary lights therein connected across the" battery, a switch in the auxiliary light circuit, an electroresponsive device adapted to cause Said switch to close the auxiliary light circuit upon a failure of current from the feeder, means for automatically disconnecting the battery from the feeder upon the battery becoming substantially charged, and means for automatically connecting the battery to the feeder upon the energization of the auxiliary light circuit should the battery then be disconnected therefrom.

3. A lighting system for electric motive power cars, having in combination with-the car, lights connected in shunt across the motive power, a storage battery connected in a separate shunt circuit across the motive power mains to be charged thereby, means for automatically disconnecting the storage battery from the mains when it has become substantially charged, and auxiliary lights adapted to be energized from the store battery upon the failure of energy from tfi: motive power mains.

4. A lighting system power cars having in combination with the car, lights connected in shunt across the motive power, a storage battery connected in a separate'shunt circuit across the motive power mains to be charged thereby, means foraut'omatically disconnecting the storage battery from the mains when it has become substantially charged, an auxiliary lighting circuit connected across the storage battery,

for electric motive and means for closing said auxiliary circuit upon the failure of energy from the'motive power malns.

5. A lighting system for electric motive power cars having in combination with the car, lights connected in shunt across the motive power, a storage battery connected.

in a separate shunt circuit across the motive power mains to, be charged th'ereby, ans

for automatidilly disconnecting the storage battery from the mains when it has become substantially charged, auxiliary lights adapted to be energized from the storage battery BEST AVAlLABLE COP.

automatically connecting the battery across the mains.

6. A lighting system IEOIElCCtIlC motive power ears having in combination with the car, lights connected in shunt across the motive power, a storage battery connected in a separate shunt circuit across the motive power mains to be charged thereby, means for automatically disconnecting the storage battery from the mains when it has become substantially charged, an auxiliary lighting circuit connected across the storage battery, means for closing said auxiliary circuit upon the failure of energy Ifil'OIYl the motive power mains, and means for automatically connecting the battery across the mains when the auxiliary lighting circuit is connected across the battery.

7. A lighting system having in combination a series of lights supplied from suitable mains, a storage battery connected to be charged from said mains, auxiliary lights connected to be supplied by the battery upon failure of said mains to supply said first mentioned lights, and means for automati-'- cally stopping the battery charging when it becomes substantially charged. v

8. A lighting system for electric motive power cars having in combination a series of car lights supplied from the motive power mains, a storage battery also connected to be charged, from the motive power-mains, and auxiliary lights, means for automatically connecting theauxiliary lights to be fed by the battery upon a failure of energy from the motive power mainsfand means for automatically disconnecting the storage battery when it has become substantially charged. i

9. A lighting system for cars having in combination a series of car lights supplied from suitable inains, a-storagc battery also connected lo be charged from the said mains, means whereby the car may be lighted by energy taken from the battery upon a failure. .of energy fromthe sald mains, and

means for automaticallydisconnecting the storage. battery when it has become substantially charged and automatically connecting it in circuit with the supply mains upon failure of potential therein from their source.

10. A lighting system for electric. motive power cars having in combination a series of car lights supplied from the. motive power mains, a storage. battery also connected to be charged from the motive power mains, means whereby the car may be lighted by energy taken fromlthe battery upon a faillire oi energy from the motive power mains, and means for automatically connecting the battery across the motive power mains when the car is lighted from the battery.

11. A lighting system for electric motive power cars having in combination a series of car lights supplied from the motive power mains, a storage battery also connected to be charged from the motive power mains, means whereby the car may be lighted by energy taken from the battery upon a failure of energy from the motive power mains, means for automatically connecting the battery across the motive. power mains when the car is lighted from the battery, and means for automatically disconnecting the storage battery fvhen it has become substan tially charged.

12. A lighting system for electric motive power cars, having'in combination a series of car lights supplied from the motive power mains, a storage battery also'conneeted to be charged from the motive power mains and auxiliary lighting circuit, means for antomatically connecting the auxiliary lighting circuit across the battery on failure of energy from the motive power mains, means for disconnecting the battery from the motive power mains when substantially charged, said means including a switch in circuit with the battery, means for closing said switch upon the energization of the auxiliary lighting circuit, and means for holding said switch closed by the dcenergb zation of the. auxiliary lighting circuit until the battery has become substantially charged.

13. A lighting system for electric motive power cars having in combination with the car and motive power mains, regular lights connected to be supplied from the motive power mains, a storage battery connected to he charged from the motive power mains, means preventing overcharge of the battery when it has become substantially charged,

an auxiliary light circuit, an elcctro-responsive switch forautomatically connecting the auxiliary light. circuit across the battery to be supplied therefrom, and means for simul laneously disconnecting the main lights from the motive powec mains and opening the. a uxiliary'light circuiti to the battery, and U vice vcrsa..

14. A lighting system for electric motive power cars having in combination with the car and motive. power mains, regular lights conncctedto be supplied from the motive powcrmains, a storage battery conm-ctcd to be charged from the motive-power mains,

means reventin ovcrchar 'c of'lhe. batter when it has become substantially charged, ah'auxihary light ClI'0lIll1, tUl electro-rcsponsiveiswitch for automaticallyconnecting the auxiliary light circuit across the battery to' be supplied therefrom, and means for disconnecting said elcctro-responslve switch and opening the circuit between the battery and auxiliary lights.

'15. A lighting system for electric motive power cars having in combination with the m a pn.. .44.. r

iary light circuit, electro-responsive means for opening said switch when the main lights are energized and a hand switch for simultaneously,opening the auxiliary light circuit and disconnecting said electro-responsive means an'd -i'z'iceuversa. i

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 15 name tdthisspecification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. JEPsoN.

Witnesses GORHAM CROSBY, Eowm Sncnn. 

